DURHAM, N.C. – Duke center Matt Skura was named to the Rimington Trophy Watch List as one of the top centers in the nation entering the 2014 season, the Rimington Trophy Committee announced Monday.

Skura, a 6-4, 290-pound redshirt junior, started all 14 games for Duke in 2013 and helped the Blue Devils to a program-record 10 wins, the ACC Coastal Division crown and berths to the Dr Pepper ACC Championship Game and the Chick-fil-A Bowl. With Skura directing the offensive front, Duke rushed for 178.0 yards per game and threw for 248.1 passing yards per game, both of which were among the top five averages in the ACC. Duke’s offense totaled a school-record 54 touchdowns and scored at least 28 points in 11 games.

Skura is one of three returning starters on Duke’s offensive line for 2014 and one of eight returning offensive starters. Included in that group are All-ACC wide receiver Jamison Crowder, All-ACC tight end Braxton Deaver and All-ACC offensive guard Laken Tomlinson.

Duke opens the 2014 season on Aug. 30 against Elon in Wallace Wade Stadium. Tickets are available at www.GoDuke.com/tickets or by calling (919) 681-BLUE.

About the Rimington TrophyThe Rimington Trophy is presented annually to the Most Outstanding Center in NCAA Division I-A College Football. Since its inception, the Rimington Trophy has raised over $2.5 million for the cystic fibrosis community. The fourteen-year old award is overseen by the Boomer Esiason Foundation, which is committed to finding a cure for cystic fibrosis and has raised over $100 million for CF Research.

Dave Rimington, the award's namesake, was a consensus first-team All-America center at the University of Nebraska in 1981 and 1982, during which time he became the John Outland Trophy's only double winner as the nation's finest college interior lineman.

About the NCFAAThe Rimington Trophy is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA), which encompasses the most prestigious awards in college football. The 21 awards boast 678 years of tradition-selection excellence. Visit www.NCFAA.org to learn more about its story.